"Ruturaj Gaikwad is going to take over"- Ravichandran Ashwin on CSK's next captain after MS Dhoni
Ravichandran Ashwin has backed opener Ruturaj Gaikwad to take over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captaincy reins following MS Dhoni's retirement.
Ashwin feels CSK invested heavily in England's Test captain Ben Stokes in the last auction because they saw him as a future leader. However, the ace all-rounder was released after he pulled out of IPL 2024.
He also predicted that CSK would be tempted to rope in Shardul Thakur at the mini-auction, given that he has done well for them in the past.
In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said:
"The holes that CSK will try to fill are ones of captaincy, which I believe Ruturaj Gaikwad is going to take over, as Ambati Rayudu said in his latest interview. Ben Stokes, too, was taken by CSK on the same philosophy of playing an able right hand. Needless to say, he is a quality leader, and CSK is a team that values experience. I think they’ll go back to Shardul and get their combination back."
Chennai released a total of eight players ahead of the IPL 2024 mini-auction. They go into the event with ₹32.1 crore in their purse and have six slots to fill, including three overseas.
"CSK is filled with thinkers" - Ravichandran Ashwin on Chennai's future plans
Ravichandran Ashwin further stated that Chennai will need to bring in a keeper-batter to replace MS Dhoni in future seasons.
Without naming anyone, he also hinted that the franchise did try to trade in a player who could have been Dhoni's successor. Ashwin elaborated:
"Another thing that they would be thinking about is who is the replacement keeper for MS Dhoni and even about retentions next year. Actually, there were so many rumours in the air that CSK was going to trade this player to see him as a future successor to MS Dhoni. I don’t want to call out names, as I am also playing in a franchise. But a team like CSK is filled with thinkers."
CSK clinched their fifth IPL title with their 2023 triumph. They beat Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets (DLS method) in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in a last-ball thriller.